Four ways to make the Geordies suffer (hopefully)

So will it be FOURTH  time lucky!

Our recent games have seen the Irons creative ‘talents’ tested to the limits against Palace, Everton and Sheffield United – games we had justifiably believed  we could win on what had gone before.

Sadly it was the very area of the pitch from which so much was expected – midfield – that let us down in the biggest way possible and tomorrow we need to see a vast improvement.

I use the word VAST because if we can’t break down a Newcastle team who will come to park the bus in a big way we really are in trouble.

Steve Bruce’s outfit has scored just six goals all season whilst conceding 15. We have managed to double their goals for tally whilst letting in 14 (really not good enough).

We need somebody to hit form in a big way among our creative players and I’m seriously hoping to see Felipe Anderson continue where he left off before his untimely hooking against Sheffield United last weekend.

I’m also hoping that if he shows any semblance of the same sort of form or better Pellegrini gives him the full 90 minutes rather than continuing to making him his most subbed player.

He could be key – as of course could Snoddy – whose goal, aggression and set piece abilities makes him a must player all day long for me.

With no natural partner available, Seb Haller looks set to continue in that burdensome one up role again leaving him impatient for Michail Antonio’s return.

Manu Lanzini should be included but be handed a free role as he looks for a form recovery with Anderson in behind Haller and here’s the controversial one for this game -Masuaku  down the left given Newcastle’s lack of penetration.

That would give us three players whose abilities going forward should surely unlock the Geordies somewhere with Snoddy a more aggressive option to do the same.

My team: Roberto; Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Masuaku; Rice, Noble Snodgrass; Lanzini, Anderson, Haller

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon